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OPINION

Letter: Gun violence is a public health problem

Your editorial, “Steps to combat mass shootings” is right on target! To contain and eradicate this epidemic, we need to mirror our actions for any infectious disease epidemic or outbreak: Track it, find causes, use science to find research gaps and then implement prevention and control tools. Gun violence is a public health problem, but preventable.

Congress should allow for federal funding for research and prevention strategies to close the gap in knowledge surrounding gun violence. There has been an effective ban on federal funding related to gun violence prevention research since 1996, when Congress put language in its Appropriations Bill stipulating, “None of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may be used to advocate or promote gun control.”

Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death. The issue of gun violence is complex and deeply rooted in our culture, which is why we must take a public health approach ensuring our families and communities are safe. Ongoing work is needed to ensure firearms do not fall into the wrong hands and to expand access to behavioral health services to those who need it most.